by Pat Ritter
anticipation hearing the train come closer and closer.
Hiding in bushes still able to keep an eye on the penny coin, the train came closer and closer. Our faces solemn and our bodies almost shaking in anticipation if the penny coin would force the train from the tracks, still waiting to witness this event, closer and closer the train came to the position on the track and instantly rushed by, the driver unaware of the coins on the track.
Soon as the train disappeared into the distance, we scurried from our hiding place and ran to redeem our coins. Believe it or not penny flattened, almost welded to the railway track.
We never knew at the time we were disfiguring the face of Her Majesty, or breaking the law, only we had fun and excitement in witnessing a distant train run over three copper pennies, the weight of the train flattening them to almost paper thin.
Only once we did this exciting act because in those times one penny was worth twenty hard boiled lollies which tasted much better than a flattened one penny coin.
Word count:422
Superior Beings
At different times of my life events happened I couldn’t explain. Far back as I remember someone or something guided my life. Perhaps a superior being sent to look after me.
When I think about the many times my life has been saved by this imaginary superior being, I thank whoever or whatever in saving me from myself.
My journey through life has been interesting to say the least. Perhaps if I started from the beginning to explain my thoughts sufficient evidence shows to identify a superior being always looking over my shoulder in time of need.
Early in my life, about six years old, I became a rescuer. To explain, I’ll share a story illustrating my reason for thinking this. At aged six years old a friend named Peter lived three doors from my home.
My parents owned bicycles, one black and the other pink. Peter rode the black one whilst I rode the pink one. One day Peter asked my father if he could purchase the black one; my father sold Peter the black bike.
We continued to ride our bikes and one day I asked Peter to ride his bike, to which he replied in a strong voice, No! I couldn’t understand his reasoning because I always loaned him the bike before his purchase.
Our lives went in different directions and after fifty years Peter contacted me ‘out of the blue’. He wanted the names of pupils in our grade 1 school photograph.
After identifying some I needed to travel to Brisbane and search the archives to determine the others. Upon finding the proper information I sent Peter the information who at the time lived in Adelaide.
Later that year I travelled to Adelaide and arranged to meet him and his family, to catch up with each other after fifty year absence. Actually I thought I was doing the right thing to be sharing our lives since we last seen one another.
We met and greeted each other, not in the same manner as I’d imagined, but when I produced the information Peter needed, he reverted to the person fifty years before. At that moment I realised nothing changed between us, once he obtained the information he needed from me, he cast me aside.
Memories flooded back to when he didn’t want me to ride his bike. Disappointed and rejected, however, at that moment calmness swept through my body relieving all sense of anger and disappointment. I’ve never seen nor heard from Peter again. Was my superior being helping me once again?
Word count: 430
That Was No Lady
My life is in a dilemma, my choice, to ignore my partner’s daughter-in-law or to do something about her behaviour. She’s a married woman, 45 years of age, married to my partner’s son.
Over eight years ago I came into the family I was warned by other members of the family to be aware of her behaviour. Would I take their advice, No! I went ahead and treated her like I would any other person until otherwise. She turned on me like a black snake turns on their prey hissing venom ready to strike.
I now regret I didn’t heed their warnings, however with anything I do; I treat others how I want to be treated with courtesy, respect and integrity until proven otherwise.
I do understand when a stranger enters a new family. I experienced similar feelings of mistrust when my father remarried after the passing of my mother. Child jealousy, I think it’s called. Jealousy of the relationship between my father and his new wife.
Getting back to my dilemma, a couple of events happened between my partner’s daughter-in-law and I which gave me an immediate impression ‘that was no lady’. Her behaviour far outreached the normal rivalry between family members. Her comments directed as me, ‘you’re not even part of the family’, said with venom caused to my feelings rate her to zero on the ‘no care factor scale’. She was no lady.
Time’s passed but my feelings toward her have not. I don’t trust her and when she’s near me my skin crawls. I keep my mouth shut and my distance. I’m courteous and say ‘hello’ but that’s it, no affection whatsoever, not even eye contact.
You may be surprised I’m not the only person to receive her rude remarks. Family members told me of their own experiences. She married into the family; they didn’t want to do anything ‘to rock the boat’. I can tell you she’s going to sink like the Titanic after I’m through with her.
At this stage I don’t know how she will sink but I’m a great believer in Karma. I don’t need to do anything, not even speak with her and I’m certain Karma will play a part in working out my dilemma. The person I feel sorry most is my partner who has tolerated her behaviour longer than I.
Word count:398
The Best Things Happen By Mistake
After writing my memoirs and thinking about my life, I saw in my mind’s eye a power greater than anything on earth. This power developed in my mind showing huge tentacles with no body. At the time I wasn’t using drugs and my mind clear.
Walking through thoughts of my life journey, I discovered many different events which happened along the way. Most of these events happened by mistake. Like for instance, at aged twenty-one years old I wanted to escape the city and work in the country.
In those days when one looked for a position of work in the country you visited the ‘Unemployment Bureau’ at your local suburb. I gained employment as a ‘Station Mechanic’ on a property named ‘Dyvenor Downs’ west of Cunnamulla in south-west Queensland.
After three days travelling by train and mail truck I reached the property to find I was the only ‘Station Mechanic’ for the one million acre property. Prior to leaving the ‘Unemployment Bureau’ they told me I would be one of about six ‘Station Mechanics’ working on the property.
Over the following six months I repaired machinery, de-sexed lambs, and enjoyed a great time living in the wild west of South-west Queensland getting to know the locals and their way of life. A huge lesson in life.
This wouldn’t be the final time I worked in the area. Another best thing happened by mistake when after I joined the Queensland Police and transferred to Cunnamulla.
This time I met my future bride and married. Over time we visited Cunnamulla and again transferred to the town this time as a detective in the Criminal Investigation Branch.
There is an old saying, once you cross the Warrego River you’ll cross it many times’. This saying is true because I first crossed the Warrego River at twenty-one years of age and crossed it many times since.
After penning my memoirs and viewing the evidence from the words I wrote, I am convinced the best things happen by mistake for many places I’ve been in my life only go to prove there is a higher power than we know exist and this power uses its huge tentacles to guide us throughout our lives, meet people who help us or take us into a different directions.
Word count: 390
The Blind Beggar Girl
Crystal sat on the pavement with a tin cup in one hand, a sign 'Please Give To The Blind' in the other. Passer-byers placed a donation into Crystal's cup. When the sound of coins hit the bottom of the cup, she'd reply, 'thank you'. This is what she did each day since she could remembe
r from aged five years to her now present age of twenty-one.
She'd lived at the local Blind Institute since her parents died in a car crash when she was five years old. Strapped into a car seat in the rear of the vehicle, she survived the crash however from that time onward she was blind. Doctors couldn't tell if her blindness was a result of the car crash or the loss of her parents.
Happiness was always in her life. She lived each day as if it was her last. Day upon day she took up her position at the same location on the footpath. Each donation helped being a beggar. Often her thoughts went to a better life; however at this stage after sixteen years of begging she'd survived.
Crystal's dark world wasn't all bad. Her hearing was excellent, as well as her other senses. She often asked a passer-by the name of the scent they wore.
One cold morning in middle of June a warm coat of hair rubbed against her side and a noise she couldn't make out at first what it was. She smelt animal breathe on the side of her face a tail struck her leg. Dropping the sign to the ground her hand swept along a coat of hair. 'Good-day boy,' she whispered as a tongue lick the side of her face. 'What's your name?' She asked.
A stranger said, 'I'm Toby and this is my dog Rufus. We've come to save you. I'm blind and Rufus is my eyes. May I sit with you?' This stranger asked.
As if by instinct Crystal moved her body to allow this stranger to sit